Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft profile: Running back, Sony Michel
Our first look at potential draft targets for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was centered around the defense. Safety, Derwin James is certainly an attractive target for the team and today we’ll look at an offensive player the team could pair with him: Georgia running back, Sony Michel.
It’s no secret the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need running back help, and Sony Michel is one of the better ones available in this year’s NFL Draft.
While Peyton Barber certainly looks poised to get his shot at becoming the primary back in 2018, a change of pace (see: faster) option would add some versatility to the position as well.
Even if Jason Licht doesn’t write down a defensive backs name in the first round, it’s very likely he’ll be targeting a running back on day two.
Michel is a guy who wouldn’t surprise by being selected in the back end of the first round, but it’s also feasible we’ll see him available when the second round gets going this April.
Michel’s College Career
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The 5’11” 215lb running back spent four years playing for the Bulldogs and it didn’t take him long to show his ability to come in and impact the game.
In just his third game as a collegiate player, Michel had already scored his first career touchdown on a 33-yard pass against South Carolina the week prior. However, his game changing ability hadn’t been put on full display just yet.
With Todd Gurley leading the way for most of the team’s first drive against Troy, Michel took the final two runs of the series and punched the ball in to the end zone for his first career rushing touchdown. Perhaps the best part of the touchdown run wasn’t just the score, but the fact he ran in between the tackles and drove two defenders into the end zone with him.
He would finish the game with three touchdowns on the ground and 155-yards. However, his freshman season ended after eight games due to a shoulder injury.
In his career, Michel appeared in 47 games and totaled over 4,000 yards from scrimmage while tallying 39 touchdowns in four seasons.
Pros
Michel is a homerun hitter. The kind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been missing at running back for too long. Remember those long runs Doug Martin would break off in 2015 just to get gassed at the end and get caught from behind? Michel can finish those.
In 2017 alone, he averaged 7.9 yards per carry and 10.7 yards per catch while providing at least 70-yards of offense ten times. As a backup.
Even thought Georgia didn’t have him do it very often, he can catch the ball pretty well too.
Perhaps the best thing Bucs fans would love about him is the way he attacks a defense. It’s very rare you’ll see Michel dancing in the backfield.
Finally, he’s a decisive runner. Even against Auburn in 2017 when Michel was held to just 21-yards on nine carries, he continued to run hard and fall forward in the face of a defensive front which just overpowered his own offensive line.
Must Read: Draft Profile: Derwin James
Cons
He’s not the most polished route runner, even for a running back. When coming out of the backfield it’ll take him longer than any quarterback would like for him to get into the field and come available for a potential pass.
While he has a solid first step following a cut, he’s not going to wiggle anyone out of their shoes any time soon. This makes him a running back dependent on getting early lanes to run through from his offensive line versus being someone who can find or create space with the ability to manipulate defenders.
At Georgia, he showed flashes of good receiving ability, but was never used enough to consider him a true receiving threat at the next level.
Why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need Sony Michel.
Simply put it’s because Peyton Barber isn’t ready to carry the full load by himself.
Jacquizz Rodgers is a solid depth player, but at the end of the day, there isn’t enough dynamic play in the Bucs’ backfield to scare any defense.
However, the combination of Barber and Michel is very reminiscent of the Nick Chubb combo we’ve seen him running in the last three years consistently.
Adding Michel would force opposing defenses to respect the run a bit more, making play-action more effective, and giving the Tampa passing attack more room to operate.
Next: Bucky Brooks Comments on Bucs
Will It Happen?
If he’s on the board when Licht gets to make his second selection – and his first wasn’t Saquon Barkley – then it certainly could.
Derrius Guice is a guy many see going in the back half of the first round, and if he goes late enough then there’s a solid chance Michel is available on day two when the Bucs pick again.
I’d expect Chubb to get selected prior to him as well, so if all three are gone, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Licht move up into the tail end of the first or earlier in the second to nab Michel.
That’s my take on Georgia running back, Sony Michel? What’s yours?
Leave your thoughts in the comments or find me on Twitter to discuss.